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The Wonderpass is now open. The Marylebone subway, next to Baker Street Tube Station, has been transformed to showcase the area's colourful history and its cultural attractions. In 2014 Baker Street Quarter Partnership, who commissioned the project, approached me to research the timeline for the Wonderpass. When it opened in January 2016, I was very proud to visit and see the results of my research on display.
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Nurse Edith Cavell was executed on 12th October 1915, during World War I, for assisting over 200 allied soldiers escape occupied Belgium. There is an annual public wreath laying ceremony that takes place at her memorial, in London, on the anniversary of her death. This year's ceremony, organised by the Cavell Nurses' Trust, will be extra special as it will mark the centenary of her death. It will be held on Monday 12th October at 10.30am and is free to attend.
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On a recent visit to the newly opened Picturehouse Central in the Trocadero Centre, I was delighted to discover this captivating Arthurian themed frieze. After the film I took a few photos, which wasn’t easy, as I was on a moving escalator, but I managed to capture all ten panels.
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This month I’m delighted to say that I’ve managed to partake of afternoon tea at The Goring and Oakley Court, two hotels which have been on my to do list tea list for absolutely ages, plus enjoyed scones for breakfast at Caravan.
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Utterly delighted that Stanfords, reputedly the world's biggest travel and map bookshop, liked my blog post about our ride on their horse drawn omnibus tour and have re-blogged it on Stanfords blog.
This is a huge honour for me as I love Stanfords, I can spend hours in their shop absorbed in their books and I also feature them on my Covent Garden and its Hidden Corners walking tour, as it's where Sherlock Holmes goes for his map in Hounds of the Baskervilles.
The author of this blog is a qualified City of London and City of Westminster Tour Guide who leads guided walks combining world famous landmarks with hidden treasures often missed by the crowds.
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Left to right: Basil, Bob and Harney with Tim Wood
I love exploring London and when I heard that Stanfords, reputedly the world's biggest travel and map bookshop, have just launched a London sightseeing tour by horse drawn Victorian omnibus I just had to check it out. So last night joined by Julie and Carolyn, friends and fellow guides, we were taken for an utterly delightful ride by Basil, Bob and Harney, three magnificent Dutch Warmbloods.
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David Barber, The Queen’s Swan Marker
Swan Upping is an ancient ceremony which counts the number of mute swans on the River Thames. This still relatively unknown tradition is an annual event, which takes place during the third week in July. Earlier this week Julie and I went to Oakley Court hotel to watch this spectacle and to partake of afternoon tea (seperate blog to follow).
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Chapter Hall
Last week I was thrilled to attend "A Midsummer Day's Dream" Champagne Tea at the Museum of the Order of St John. The museum occupies two historic sites, the gatehouse which houses the museum's galleries and has a series of stunning rooms and a seperate building which includes the Priory Church and the Norman crypt. The magnificent suite of historic rooms provided the perfect backdrop for a splendid afternoon of Shakespearean entertainment of drama, music and dance and the balmy hot summer weather just addded to the surreal and magical atmosphere.
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One of the pleasures of writing this blog, apart from eating the scones of course, is discovering new, quirky places, so twitter friend and I decided to visit Ham Yard Hotel in Soho, which only opened a couple of months ago. Despite being a Westminster Guide, I have to say to my shame, even I had a bit of difficulty finding it as it's tucked away behind Piccadilly Circus but for me that just added to it's charm. 
I ordered the scones which arrived warm and beautifully presented wrapped in a napkin in a wire basket. They were accompanied with a generous portion of clotted cream and two bowls of jam, one strawberry and the other cherry.
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John Lewis opened his first store at 132 Oxford Street, London on 2nd May 1864. In celebration of the store’s 150th anniversary the roof garden and a special exhibition are open to the public from Saturday 3rd May 2014.